Keps through to Discovery semis

King Edward VII Preparatory School (Keps) dashed the hopes of Glenhazel Primary School reaching the semi-finals of the Discovery Soccer Knock-Out Cup, for the first time in their history.

The match was played at Wits University’s Marks Park soccer fields. Keps made their intention clear from the first whistle and scored their first goal in the opening 10 minutes with a beautiful header.

However, the Glenhazel boys looked nervous as they started the match in a very slow pace. Keps pushed forward, putting more pressure on the visitors and they were rewarded with a penalty which they scored before half-time.

During the second-half Glenhazel could not find the target, as the Keps defenders were a hard nut to crack. It was a Keps player who managed to find a goal with a scorcher that gave the goalkeeper no chance. The final score was 3-0. The disappointed Glenhazel coach, Emmanuel Dlamini, blamed their first-half lacklustre performance for the loss.

Dlamini said, “My boys started the match at a very slow pace and they panicked and didn’t play their normal football. It was also a learning curve for most of our boys as they don’t participate in club football throughout the year; they lacked match fitness compared to their opponents. But we shall become stronger next year.”

The Discovery tournaments started in 2009 and involve schools that are affiliated to the Johannesburg Primary Schools Football Association. A total of 120 primary schools take part in the Knock-Out Cup. Six age groups from U9 to U14 take part in elimination rounds in their categories, which start in May, culminating in the finals in August.